adminPatrick Chitumba Senior Reporter
The Morgan Tsvangirai-led MDC-T is set to adopt constitutional amendments ahead of the national congress in October, party spokesperson Douglas Mwonzora said yesterday. Although he could not be drawn into revealing the specifics, the new constitutional amendments party insiders said, are are aimed at making sure that Tsvangirai assumes the duties of the secretary general.
The new constitution would clip the current powers of the secretary-general and other top posts and concentrate power in Tsvangirai’s hands.
It is believed that allies of Tsvangirai have moved to neutralise the position which they felt former finance minister Tendai Biti used to undermine the party leader’s authority as well as plot his ouster. Tsvangirai’s loyalists also believe that another former secretary general, Professor Welshman Ncube used the same powers to cause problems for Tsvangirai before their split some nine years ago.
Mwonzora yesterday told Chronicle that September 18 and 19 had been set aside as dates to adopt the new constitutional amendments.
“We can’t wait for that process to be completed so that the party moves forward. The amendments haven’t been adopted so there is nothing to talk about for now,” he said.
Mwonzora said before every congress, MDC-T members are given an opportunity to suggest any constitutional amendments to be tabled and discussed at congress.
Deputy party chairman, Morgen Komichi has been leading a committee that was appointed to collect constitutional proposals from MDC members.
Prof Ncube together with the late MDC vice president Gibson Sibanda broke away from the opposition party in 2005 after Tsvangirai refused to participate in the senate elections.
Prof Ncube formed a new party and invited Prof Arthur Mutambara to be president.
This year Prof Ncube’s successor as MDC secretary general Biti, split from the MDC-T arguing that Tsvangirai was clinging on to power and disrespecting the party’s constitution.
Biti said MDC-T lost the July 31, 2013 harmonised elections because Tsvangirai was busy chasing after women while Zanu-PF was busy strategising.
The former MDC secretary-general has since started a new political project- the Renewal Team.
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